Simplicity
by Limpidity
Summary: Voice was simply stolen out of her. Unable to say three words she just sighed to herself. Maybe, she can just play along for a little while more. After all, this was a simple matter of emotions wasn't it?
1. Mall

Okay, now this is the fic I've been wanting to publish this whole entire time. See what school does to you?  
This will be my school project as well. Seriously. I'm sorry if Armin is OOC ;~; I tried my best!

* * *

The mall was really crowded, it was after all, the weekend and everyone was flooding the stores; spending their money on usually pointless things. Armin and his twin brother, Alexy, were currently seated at the food court. While Armin was watching the hungry shoppers pass by idly, his brother was talking about some changes in the dark haired male's wardrobe, which wasn't happening anytime soon.

"Armin?" he turned his head towards the bluenette "Geez, I know you hate shopping but at least have some optimism!" Armin merely rolled his eyes in a slightly joking matter and turned back to watching the rest of the food court. Noticing something laying on a table about a couple of feet away, he quickly stood from his seat and walked over to the table.

On the beige wood like plastic, lay a shiny, well taken care of, PlayStation Portable. Around the screen was a sticker, the decorative kind made specifically for this console, immediately Armin noticed it was a decorative sticker from Persona 4; a game he had played himself once before. The male picked up the console and started looking at it a bit more carefully, _'Now why would someone lea-'_

"Armin, what are you doing?" Alexy asked, approaching his brother with a curious look successfully interrupting the other's thoughts. Armin just continued to look at the console in his hands for a while more before he turned to the bluenette and spoke his mind.

"Who would leave something like this on a table?" his twin shrugged.

"Ahem." The twins both looked to their right to see a girl around their age, with pink, straight hair that only went to just above her shoulders. She was staring, more like glaring, at Armin; more specifically, the console he was holding.

"What?"

"That's my PSP your holding." The black haired male mouthed something like an 'o' and handed the console back to its owner. Although one could tell she was clearly angered she smiled as best she could when she took it back. "Thank you… uh?" Armin blinked before answering with a smile.

"Armin." The female nodded as if assuring herself of his name and her smiled turned much more natural.

"And I'm Alexy" The bluenette chimed in.

"Well thanks, Armin." The girl bowed gratefully, "My name is Grace, and it was a pleasure to meet you both." Grace smiled at them one last time before turning on her heels and walking off, hugging the PlayStation portable close to her, so as to not lose it once again. Afterwards Alexy stretched and smiled.

"Come on, we still have shopping to do." Armin sighed heavily; he just never got a break did he? The twins both wandered off to explore the rest of the stores in the mall, much to Armin's despair; he had always hated these frequent shopping trips with his brother.

* * *

Grace sighed to herself, running her free hand through her pink dyed hair. Pulling on her white and pink headphones, she took out her phone and tapped the triangle 'play' button that was displayed. Now all she had to do was to find her idiot cousin and leave this cursed place.

It wasn't long until her music session was interrupted by her phone vibrating in her pocket, cutting off her music and her mood. Grace pulled out her phone and answered it unwillingly.

"Hello?"

"Gracie!" Her cousin's voice rang out through the headphones loudly and Grace almost wanted to tell her to shut up. "Where are you? I've been looking for you and I can't find you!"

"Linda, I'm right by the store I always go to." Grace replied calmly, looking beside her to the black and red logo of her favorite store that wasn't the gaming store.

"Stay there okay!? I'll be right there!" The call ended and Grace lowered her phone and headphones, she might as well go in if Linda was going to tell her to stay put.

The store itself wasn't the most ethnic thing the world, it consisted of all the outcasts to be honest. Sometimes Grace wondered what she was doing, wandering inside and buying the items they had; maybe she was an outcast herself.

"The killer Grace! What's up?" The people in the store greeted her like they usually did, all optimistic and chipper. 'The Killer Grace' was a nickname of sorts, as once one of the past workers called her 'A pretty girl who has no problem killing, or breaking a guy's heart.' The event was actually rather light; though the nickname still stuck.

"I'm doing fine Dylan, what about you, still dating Stace?" Grace wandered over to the tee-shirts and started looking through them all.

"Of course, she's the best!" Both of them laughed and then someone ran into the store.

"Gracie!"

"Calm. Down." Grace responded, rubbing her poor ears at her cousin's screams.

"Let's go!" Linda clutched her hand and started dragging her out of the store and to the other store from which they entered in; probably catching all of the attention of the other shoppers.

"Linda, please stop dragging me around like your stuffed animals!"

"Mom's waiting for us at the west exit!" Right, Linda's mom, or Grace's aunt; the weird aunt who actually gets along well with the pink-haired female and her cousin, and the one who always happens to be in a strange fairy costume…Always. Grace groaned and decided to just live with the situation.

"Linda, one day I will pin you to a wall." Grace muttered and her sister stopped abruptly, Grace nearly crashing into the girl's back.

"Oh right, Mom told me to ask if you have your PS-something."

"I do, Linda." The pink haired girl waved the object back and forth beside her head for a moment before putting it in her pocket. Thank god those things were portable; seriously, she wouldn't know what to do if these didn't exist. The redhead nodded before grasping Grace's hand and continuing walking towards the exit, this time at a much slower, less rushed pace. While looking around the store Grace noticed two males over by the casual clothing. One with blue hair and the other with black both looked the same except for clothing and colors. The same two guys from before, then suddenly the feeling of familiarity came upon her. Hadn't she seen one of them before?

It was a shame she was pulled out of the exit before she would ever find out.


	2. School Life I

_This chapter is so iffy I'm not sure what to do now. I've been writing this on my trip to New York [Yes, this little Authors note was written on the trip there as well haha] and honestly, i am tired. This part makes me feel quite nostalgic actually, like I've used this type of writing before somewhere although it was probably just some little oneshot I wrote in my notebook a while back ha._  
_Like I've stated before though, this was written on my trip to New York for my cousins sweet 15 {Which I will never have/had because I hate parties.}. If I could stay home and write more chapters for you guys I really would, but my cousin is my cousin, and now you know who Linda is based off of. Think of it as a dedication to her being awesome and letting me use her internet all this time._  
_This authors note is rather long isn't it? I feel like I could make this into a story itself pretty soon. Kudos to anyone that actually reads my stupid little notes. I think that's about all I have to say now 's really dark outside and it kind of scares me, I'm thinking a creeper will pop out or somethig._  
_ I'm not a fan of immersing someone inside the story's awesome part right in the first chapter, so this chapter is more like the notice saying 'Hey, plot up ahead!' or something along those lines._  
_-Lovingly/Kuro Aqua_

* * *

The weekend had ended, and the twins' second week of school had arrived. The halls were crowded as everyone rushed to their classes, some willingly, others being dragged by their friends.

The classroom was rather empty, although a simple excuse was the fact that Armin and Alexy came a bit earlier. They had a test today, while both of them did study, it wasn't long before Armin had gotten caught up in his games to even think about the studying.

The rest of the class started pushing themselves in the classroom in groups of two or three just chatting about what happened during the weekend and already planning for the next time they would hang out together. Beside Armin, a pink-haired female sat down along with a friend. Almost immediately, she noticed the twins sitting next to her and smiled. So that's where she remembered them from!

"Hey, Armin, Alexy!" she was cheerful, despite the fact that it seemed like she had gotten little sleep the night before. Alexy looked over and ginned at her.

"Hey, Grace!"

"Thanks again for Saturday." Grace said, unpacking her belongings, "You saved me from my aunt's wrath."

"You play video games?" At the sudden question Grace turned to Armin, whom was looking at her curiously. The female scoffed.

"'Do I play video games?'" she mocked before smiling "That's like asking a young girl if she's ever played with dolls, of course I do."

"What's your favorite? Persona?" Armin watched as she sat down and thought about it for a moment.

"Actually, I prefer danmaku games more, then again Persona is a great series, what about you?" Grace turned to look at him.

"I like allot of different games to be honest." The black haired male scratched the back of his head slightly, it was true, he could never find a favorite type. Video games in general were his favorites.

"Wow, I wish I could be like you" Grace laughed, "Just enjoy every game you get!"

"Alright class." As if right on cue, the teacher walked into the room holding a clipboard. The entire class hushed, but never really did get silent. "Today we will be working in groups of three." Everyone started glancing around for their partners. Grace and Armin looked at the teacher then back at each other. They had a conversation to finish.

* * *

The day continued on as usual, Grace had dance, while Armin had computer, which was extremely dull and boring and he wished the teacher would've turned away so he could have gotten on his favorite websites. The long and excruciating wait had paid off a little though, because right after their classes was lunch break.

"Armin, Alex!~" Grace called out to the twins as she approached them, using the nickname she had given Alexy during first period. During that first class they had found out the two of them had allot in common with the pink haired female, such as both her and Alexy's love for techno music and having the same headphone brand; then Armin's love for the internet and video games. It made the stress of being new and having to deal with paperwork much, much easier. Once the female caught up to them she panted for a bit before standing up straight, she was upset that they were both taller than her, and smiling. "Wanna go out for lunch?"

"Are we allowed to do that?" Alexy asked, at their old school they weren't allowed to leave campus at anytime.

"We are as long as we log it in the records." It was a rather simple thing, log in and log out, but it actually offered allot of freedom and still kept the rules intact, which let the people who don't eat food at all from school; like Grace, get out for once.

"Sure I guess."

"Sweet!" Grace reached into her left pocket and pulled out a set of keys, "Come on, I'll drive."

* * *

The trio had lunch at a nearby small restaurant, which was filled with the students who also decided come and eat. They conversed about simple matters while they ate and while Grace worked on her homework so that she didn't have to do it at home and could play all those games she never finished because she's too busy.

"How did you even find this place?" Grace slipped the credit card in the receipt folder and closed it, waiting for someone to take it.

"I went on a tour of this place when I first arrived to come live with my aunt."

"Did something happen at your house?"

"My mom and dad divorced, and since I didn't want to go with either I ended up here while my brother went with my dad." The table went silent for a while before Grace chuckled. "It's all fine though, I like it here." The waitress finally came and took the folder and the pink haired female checked her watch. "We have fifteen minutes."

"For?"

"Fifteen minutes to get back to class." In truth they had around twenty-five minutes to get to class, but it was better to estimate down than up right?

* * *

The door shut behind her as Grace entered her house after school.

"Gracie, mom says for you to call her when you got home!" Linda said from the couch, sitting upside down, her light brown hair spreading out on the floor under her head. The girl's glasses were also misplaced only a little bit higher than they should be on the bridge of her nose; she was watching the television with the remote in her hand.

"Alright," Grace responded pulling out a can of lemonade from the fridge and moving towards the home phone on the counter. Tapping the numbers on the keypad she picked up the phone in her hand and laid back against the counter.

"Hello?" her aunt's voice reached her after a while.

"Hey auntie, what did you need me to call you for?"

"Your dad called, Grace, he said he wants to know how you are." There was groan from Grace's side as she hit her head against the wall in annoyance.

"Tell him I'm fine." Grace responded quickly and hung up. Running upstairs with her bag Grace sighed and sat down at the chair in front of her computer. The girl's homepage popped up as soon as she opened the browser. Today wasn't such a bad day after all, she finally found out where she had seen the twins before and she had earned herself two new friends… Wow that sounded so unlike her.


	3. Mothers I

**_I warned everyone. I warned you~_**

**_I'm so sorry this chapter is so short and horrible. I tried my best guys! ;~;_**

* * *

The school week had gone by faster than usual, which was a surprise to the pink-haired female. Lucky for her though, Grace wasn't going to school today. Unluckily for her though, that was because her mother would be coming to visit. In terms of visit, that really meant checking to make sure that Anthony, her father, didn't lay a finger on her.

To be frank, Grace wished she could have gone to school today.

Now it's been two years since they last saw each other. Grace was 16 now, considering she got held back a year; which she blamed entirely on the aftershock of her parents. Now she was standing right in front of the gate that would welcome her dear mother home… Or, what Grace hoped would be her dear mother.

"Aren't you excited Gracie?" Linda asked.

"Of course I am." Grace muttered.

"Come on, Grace, it's been two years, what passed, passed." Her aunt reminded her, and Grace smiled a little. Then it magically disappeared once she saw the woman she dared call 'mother.'

Now to anyone else, she would seem normal. A very formal lady, who carried only a little bit of luggage, no one would suspect anything other than the fact she was very formal. Yet Grace new all too well that the woman in front of her was some sort of devil's offspring.

"Give your mother a hug Graciela!" The pink haired female refused to move, and the slightest second of infuriation was seen on her face. "Don't you love your mother?" Now, if Grace were anywhere else that wasn't in public, this would have escalated extremely quickly into a fight that would last a good while. Since she was unwilling to do that right now, and she knew her mother was too; considering that the two of them had to have the appearance that they were regular people, all she did was nod and silently walk off.

"She's always like this." Linda's mom, lied, sparing a concerned look at the pink haired female; who was trying to busy herself with the games on her cellphone. Linda looked at Graces mom then at Grace and ran off after her cousin.

"What happened?" Moving to walk in time with her cousin, Linda looked only at the flooring. Feeling a tad bit guilty because of this, Grace moved and hugged her sister while walking.

"Nothing, Linda, I just don't like mom as much as I used to."

"You still love me right?"

"Of course!" The smiled that replaced the saddened expression on Linda's face was everything that needed to happen for Grace to smile back. The two girls left both her aunt and her mother behind as they talked about stupid things. Grace finally getting into the game she was playing on her phone, only to receive a text message from someone only a couple of minutes later.

_[Hey, are you okay? Armin Alexy and I are worried.] _It was from her friend, of course.

_[I'm just fine. My mother just came to visit. I'm not sick or anything haha.]_

_[Oh… I wish you luck. I'm glad you're not sick but you coming to school tomorrow?]_

_[I'll have to see, because, ya' know... Send me all the work.] _ With that Grace closed her phone. Well, it was nice to know that someone understood the pain that was about to take place. It was also nice to know that someone cared.

Now all she had to do was not allow any drinking.


	4. School Life II

The next day of class Grace entered extremely early. The pink haired female was wearing a navy hoodie that covered her belt, which hooked upon it was her PSP. If anything her main goal was to ignore everyone and class in general. There was no better way than to play some video games. There was no other choice anyway.

Whipping out her phone when the teacher turned to leave and go to the office for a moment, Grace noticed the roots of her hair were once again a dark brown. It wasn't even a month and a half and they were already being fussy with her, ugh! Grace sighed; she should have brought her hat or something of the sort to cover this mess. Why did she care about her hair anyway?

It was roughly about five minutes till class started when Armin and his loveable brother entered the scene. Boom, day suddenly made better. Actually, her day would get much better because of her third class today, which laid host to the most enjoyable freaks ever to lay foot onto these tiles. It was the class that they made her take because she failed a year, but hey, it really wasn't as bad of a class as she initially thought. Hell, she wished _all _of her classes were as fun as the third. Sadly she only failed Math and so she is only stuck with one extremely enjoyable group of people per day. Armin and Alexy didn't count, they were her best friends obviously, and she could invite them over whenever they weren't busy. Actually it was more like her grabbing all of the games she could and sprinting over to their house with so much excitement it would put the funny ring seller out of business. Where did he get those rings anyway?

Turning herself to the side and settling her feet on the side of Armin's chair, Grace watched with a knowing look as the male sat down.

"What'd ya bring today Army-boy?" After a slightly irritated sigh at the nickname Grace placed onto him he quickly got over it and brought out his own PSP. After handing it to Grace she inspected the Game inside of it, and handed it back to him with a jealous scoff.

"I hate you now, so much" Armin chuckled.

"What did you bring?" Grace looked at the teacher for a moment, inspecting her chances of getting caught and unclipped her PSP, sliding it under the desk to the male beside her. A few moments after it was slid back to her. "Horrible huh?" Grace asked turning to face forward, clipping her PSP back into its holder.

"It's not bad." An ever louder scoff was heard from the pink haired female.

"Yeah, that's your code for laughing at the fact I didn't get the newest game in the series."

"I heard you had things to do in the weekend?" Alexy suddenly burst from the left of the both of them, both of them looked to the left and Grace sighed.

"Yeah, I had way too many things to do during the weekend, and I'd not like to talk about if it's possible for us to shut up at all." The trio laughed at Grace's remark before it was silenced by the obnoxious sound of the alarm ringing for the beginning of class.


End file.
